Frederick j



(No Model.)

P. J. W. FISCHER.

PENCIL SHARPENER.

No. 564,149. Patented July 14, 1896.

' view of the device.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK J. \V. FISCHER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. ASSIGNOR TO THE EAGLE PENCIL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PENCIL-SHARPENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 564,149, dated July 14, 1896.

Application filed April 24, 1896.

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK J. WV. FISCHER, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Pencil-Sharpeners, of which the following is a specification.

This device is intended to sharpen or cut to a point the pencil-lead and not the sheath inclosing it. It is designed for use principally in connection with the pencil described and claimed in United States Letters Patent granted to the Eagle Pencil Company, as the assignee of Glaes W. Boman, on February 4, 1896, No. 554,212; but it may be used also for pointing the lead of ordinary pencils after the wood has been cut away to the desired extent.

I will first describe the invention by reference to the accompanying drawings, and will then point out more particularly in the claims those features which I believe to be new and of my own invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective Fig. 2 is a longitudinal axial section of the device and the pencil to which it is applied. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the device on line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is the blank from which the blade is made. Fig. 5 is the blade after it has been shaped up ready to be inserted in its holder.

The particular form of the device shown in the drawings is one which adapts it to be used as an attachment for lead-pencils, the tubular case A of the device being formed to fit upon the end of a pencil B, from which it may be removed whenever it is desired to use it to sharpen the pencil. In the present instance the case A is held on the end of the pencil by screwing upon a screw-threaded metal sleeve. a, fastened on the rear end of the pencil, and at its rear end it carries a piece of rubber or erasive material b.

About midway between the ends of the case Ais located the sharpener-blade O. The construction of this blade will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 4 and 5. It is first stamped out as a blank from sheet metal suitable for the purpose into the form shown in Fig. 4, where it has the general form of a rectangular narrow strip or tongue having formed in it a longitudinal slot 0, which is Serial For 588,991. (No model.)

broadest at the ends, and thence tapers and decreases in depth toward the middle. This blank is then bent into V form, the narrowest part of the slot 0 being at the apex of the V. In this shape it is shown in Fig. 5. It consists, in effect, of two jaws, in each of which is a slot which is broadest at the outer end, and thence tapers toward the apex of the V, where the jaws unite. The longitudinal edges of these slots form the cutting edges of the blade. The pencil-lead is inserted between the jaws and pressed toward their other end, and it thus bulges into the slots 0 slightly, so that when the lead is revolved in the sharpener the edges of the slot will cut away the lead and bring it to a point, the taper of which is determined by the taper of the slots 0. Y

Various means can be employed for mounting and securing the device in place. In the present instance it is located in and crosswise of thecase A, and is conveniently held in place by having its apex seated in a slot d, formed in one side of the case, and by forming in the opposite side of the case an opening 9 a little less in width than the distance which separates the outer ends of the sharpener-jaws, when unconstrained, which opening has in its opposite edge notches e to receive small lugs f, formed on the outer ends of the jaws. The dimensions of the sharpener are such that when its apex is seated in the slot d in one side of the case the outer ends of the jaws will fit closely against the opposite wall of the case. In thus inserting the sharpener into place the jaws will be contracted a little, so as to pass through the opening g, which they will do by the time the apex end of the sharpener is seated in the slot (Z, and then the jaws being free to expand will spread apart and will snap under the edges of the opening g, the lugs f entering and engaging the notches e. In this way the sharpener when once in place is held firmly against any displacement.

To sharpen the pencil, its lead point is inserted through the opening g of the implement into and between the jaws, which act upon it in the manner hereinbefore described.

Having described my invention and the best way now known to me of carrying the same into effect, what I claim herein as new and of my own invention is as follows:

1. The V-shaped cutter having in its opposite sides or jaws tapering slots, the 'longi tudinal edges of which form the cutting edge for the lead, in combination with a tubular case or holder in and crosswise of which said cutter is mounted, said holder having in its side opposite the flaring end of the cutter, a pencil-admitting opening, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

2. The V-shaped cutter having in its opposite sides tapering slots, the longitudinal edges of which form the cutting edges for the lead, in combination with a case or holder formed on one side with a slot to receive the apex of .the cutter, and on its opposite side with an opening the edges of which are engaged by the flaring ends of the cutter, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

3. The cutting device composed of a V-strip having in each jaw a tapering slot the longitudinal edges of which form the cutting edges for the lead, and a lug 011 the outer end of each jaw, in combination with the case having 011 one side a slot to receive the apex of the V cutter and on the other side an opening the opposite edges of which are notched to receive the lugs on the jaws, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

In testimony whereof 'I have hereunto set my hand this 18th day of April, 1896.

FRED. J. WV. FISCHER. lVitnesses SAMUEL KRAUS, P. H. BUCKMAS'IER. 

